Optimized rendering for a three-dimensional videoconferencing system

Industry widely employs the two-dimensional videoconferencing system as a long distance communication tool, but current limitations such as its tendency to misrepresent eye contact prevent it from becoming more widely adopted. We are exploring the possibility of a three-dimensional videoconferencing system for future interactive streaming of point cloud data, and present the preliminary research results in this paper. We have tested thus far with one sender and one receiver, using pre-recorded data for the sender. The sender, encircled by high-definition cameras, stands and speaks in a room. A cluster of computers reconstructs each frame of the camera images into a 3D point cloud and streams it across a high-speed, low-latency network. On the receiving end, a splat-based renderer employs a new algorithm to efficiently resample the points in real-time, maintaining a user-specified frame rate. Parallel hardware projects onto multiple screens while head tracking equipment records the viewer´s movements, allowing the receiver to view a stereoscopic 3D representation of the sender from multiple angles. We can combine these visuals with appropriate use of multiple audio channels to forge an unparalleled virtual experience. This next step towards immersive 3D videoconferencing brings us closer to empowering worldwide collaboration between research departments.